Family and Education

m. by 1395, Joan.

Offices Held

Mayor, Lyme 1397-8.1

Biography

Perhaps the son of Thomas Dorset, who had sat in Parliament for Lyme 11 times between 1360 and 1384, John held a house called ‘Beawffront’ in the town, three more houses nearby, and ‘New park’ and ‘Marlebourghisland’ bordering the highway to Uplyme. From 1395 to 1407 he let these properties to John Baker III* for as much as £2 a year rent. As a parishioner of Lyme he gave evidence about the state of the local church on those occasions in July 1405 and June 1412 when the dean of Salisbury visited the town. Meanwhile, by July 1408 he had fallen into debt, owing £11 to William Mountfort II* of Bridport and others, but he was able to procure a royal pardon of outlawry following his failure to answer the charges in the lawcourts. In 1419 he assisted John Rydon* of Taunton to purchase the Somerset manor of Knightsley.2

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Author: L. S. Woodger

Notes

• 1. Harl. Ch. 47D 5.
• 2. CAD, i. 1597; Reg. John Chandler (Wilts. Rec. Soc. xxxix), 21, 314; CPR, 1405-8, p. 404; Som. Feet of Fines (Som. Rec. Soc. xxii), 54.